| The Alabama Solution | |
|---|---|
 Release poster | |
| Directed by | Andrew Jarecki Charlotte Kaufman |
| Written by | Andrew Jarecki Charlotte Kaufman Page Marsella |
| Produced by | Andrew Jarecki Charlotte Kaufman Alelur "Alex" Duran Beth Shelburne |
| Starring | Robert Earl Council Melvin Ray |
| Cinematography | Nicholas Kraus |
| Edited by | Page Marsella |
| Music by | Mark Batson Chris Hanebutt |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | HBO |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Alabama Solution is a 2025 American documentary film directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman. It follows the prison system in Alabama from the perspective of incarcerated leaders.
The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 28 and was released by HBO and HBO Max on October 10.
Summary
[edit]In 2019, filmmakers Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman visited Easterling Correctional Facility to film a religious revival meeting. During the visit, incarcerated men approached them off-camera with accounts of abuse and systemic failures within the prison system.[1] This began a six-year investigation, during which incarcerated men used contraband cell phones to document conditions and communicate with the filmmakers.[1]
The documentary centers on the death of Steven Davis, an incarcerated man who was beaten to death by prison guards. The film follows Davis's mother, Sandy Ray, as she seeks answers about her son's death.[2] The documentary also profiles incarcerated activists Robert Earl Council and Melvin Ray, who co-founded the Free Alabama Movement and organized protests from within the prison system.[3]
The title refers to a phrase used by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, who insisted the state could address its prison problems without federal intervention.[3]
Participants
[edit]- Robert Earl Council (also known as "Kinetik Justice"), co-founder of the Free Alabama Movement, serving a life sentence for murder[4][1]
- Melvin Ray (also known as "Bennu Hannibal Ra-Sun"), co-founder of the Free Alabama Movement[1]
- Raoul Poole[5]
- Sandy Ray, Steven Davis's mother[2]
Release
[edit]The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 28, 2025.[6] The film premiered on HBO on October 10, 2025, as well as streaming on HBO Max.[7]
Reception
[edit]The Alabama Solution received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 100% approval rating based on reviews from critics.[8] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 90 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[5]Matt Brennan of The Los Angeles Times described the film as “one of the most shocking, visceral depictions of our carceral state ever put to film” and “a documentary that should outrage the nation.”[9]
Fred Topel of United Press International gave the film a positive review and wrote, “If incarcerated inmates can make progress in activism from inside prison walls, it suggests even greater things are possible when people with more resources join forces. The documentary illuminating the issue is a major step.”[10]
Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com also gave the film a positive review and wrote that it “will likely play to people who already know about the corruption, brutality, and slave labor that feed our prison system, but it’s still important to see the horrors that unfold in this country that so many consider free.”[11]
Owen Gleiberman of Variety also gave the film a positive review, calling it “one of the most powerful exposés of the inhumanity of the American prison system I’ve ever seen. Directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, the movie is a scalding portrait of life on the inside that exerts a grip worthy of a thriller.“[12]
Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter also gave the film a positive review and wrote that it “is difficult to watch, and impossible to watch without escalating anger. There isn’t easy catharsis or an easy non-Alabama solution, but it’s impossible to deny that something better must be done.”[13]
Accolades
[edit]| Award / Film Festival | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 9, 2025 | Best Documentary Feature | The Alabama Solution | Nominated | [14] |
| Best True Crime Documentary | Nominated | ||||
| Best Political Documentary | Won | ||||
| Best Director | Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Page Marsella | Nominated | |||
| Producers Guild of America Awards | February 28, 2026 | Best Documentary | Andrew Jarecki, Charlotte Kaufman, Alelur "Alex" Duran and Beth Shelburne | Pending | [15] |
| Academy Awards | March 15, 2026 | Best Documentary Feature | The Alabama Solution | Shortlisted | [16] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Gleiberman, Owen (January 29, 2025). "'The Alabama Solution' Review: Andrew Jarecki's Powerful Exposé of a Prison System Where Sanctified Lawlessness Is the Law". Variety. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ^ a b Lee, Zachary (October 3, 2025). "The Alabama Solution movie review (2025)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ^ a b Lewis, Nicole (October 10, 2025). "'The Alabama Solution': A Humanitarian Crisis in Grainy Detail". The Marshall Project. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ^ https://law.justia.com/cases/alabama/court-of-appeals-criminal/1996/cr-94-1777-0.html
- ^ a b "The Alabama Solution". Metacritic. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ^ Bahr, Lindsay (January 29, 2025). "Sundance Documentary "The Alabama Solution" Shows Horrifying Prison Conditions". Shoot (advertising magazine). Retrieved May 2, 2025.
On Tuesday at the first showing of the film, she had Council on the phone listening in.
- ^ "HBO Original Documentary THE ALABAMA SOLUTION Debuts October 10". Warner Bros. Discovery. September 25, 2025. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
- ^ "The Alabama Solution". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ^ Brennan, Matt (January 28, 2025). "With shocking secret footage, prison doc 'The Alabama Solution' should outrage the nation".
- ^ Topel, Fred (January 31, 2025). "Sundance movie review: 'Alabama Solution' an upsetting, inspiring doc". United Press International. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ Tallerico, Brian (January 31, 2025). "Sundance 2025: The Perfect Neighbor, The Alabama Solution, Zodiac Killer Project". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
- ^ Gleiberman, Owen (January 29, 2025). "'The Alabama Solution' Review: Andrew Jarecki's Powerful Exposé of a Prison System Where Sanctified Lawlessness Is the Law". Variety. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
- ^ Fienberg, Daniel (January 29, 2025). "'The Alabama Solution' Review: Powerful New Doc From 'The Jinx' Duo Investigates Injustices in Alabama Prisons". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
- ^ Davis, Clayton (October 14, 2025). "'Orwell: 2+2=5' and 'The Perfect Neighbor' Lead Critics Choice Documentary Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
- ^ Levy, Giana (December 9, 2025). "'The Perfect Neighbor,' 'Cover-Up,' 'My Mom Jayne' Among PGA Nominees for Documentary Motion Pictures". Variety. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
- ^ "98th Oscars Shortlists in 12 Award Categories Announced" (Press release). Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 25, 2025.